Somfy TaHomA Home Automation System

When we home theater enthusiasts dream about automation, we envision pushing a button and sinking into the sofa, beer in hand: The lights dim, a huge screen descends from the ceiling, and a magnificent picture magically appears onscreen as your speakers come to life. But why stop there? With Somfy’s TaHomA system (and the help of a professional installer), you can bring window shades, drapes or blinds, and climate control into the fold and create automated scenes for a single room or the entire house. Imagine a Vacation scene that puts your thermostat in its energy-saving mode and engages a “randomize” program that turns lights on and off to create a lived-in look while you’re away. Or a Good Night mode that turns off all lights, except for the ones on your front porch.

TaHomA makes it possible to monitor and control your home via an app on your iPhone, iPad, or iTouch, or from any PC with an Internet connection (the app costs $30 and there’s no monthly fee). That’s in addition to tabletop controllers and inwall keypads. Beyond the cool factor and sheer convenience of automation, menu-driven graphics make it easy to manage your home’s energy triangle—the balance of natural light, artificial light, and temperature. For example, you can create a Winter program that raises shades in the morning, allowing the sun to help heat the house, or keep lights dimmed to 75 percent brightness to reduce energy consumption. Another possibility is using occupancy sensors that detect empty rooms and adjust the thermostat accordingly.

TaHomA is based on Z-Wave wireless technology. Once a Z-Wave network is set up in the home, the system can communicate with TaHomA-optimized lighting controls, thermostats, and motorized shades, as well as plug-in modules that let you control freestanding lamps and small appliances wirelessly. Prices vary depending on options chosen and installation costs, but a basic system (excluding motorized window treatments) starts at about $2,500.